oe spokane



' w. M. FROST- Dec. 22, 1931. INSECT TRAP Re. 18,294

Original Filed Nov. 15. 1927 000:2 f, 0000 0000 w 000 .o8 E5 823 j 7-oooo g; 0000 oooo M 0000 883; 5 2222 j? o 000 6 M [Z] I L Hlll Ml)!I'lllll I k f.

Inventor Attorney.

Reissued Dec. 22, 1931 'lJNITED STATES rArs T OFFICE WILLIAM M. FROST,OF SPOKAN E, WASHINGTON, A SSIGNOR TO FROST ELECTRIC SCREEN (10., OFSPOKANE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON msno'r TBA? )OriginalNo. 1,743,664, dated .1 anuary14, 1930, Serial No. 233,403, filedNovember 15, 1927. Application for reissue filedNovember 24, 1930.Serial No. 497,942.

My present invention relates to insect traps of the electrocuting type,and particularly to devices in which cage-like. or grid-like electrodesof opposite polarity are so formed and positioned that insects cominginto contact with the opposed electrodes will be electrocuted. i i Q iOne of the principalobjectsof my invention is the provision of a deviceof this general character which will present relatively large surfaceareas of opposed electrodes combined with relatively narrow interveningpassages, and which will produce unusually effective and satisfactoryresults in the trapping and electrocution of insects. These results areattained through the novel construction and arrangement of the parts ofthe device constituting my invention, and principally through the use,of electrodes including spaced alternating blades. In its more specificaspects, my'invention pertains to details of construction andarrangement of its parts, and particularly of the electrodes.

Devices constructed according to the'principles of myinvention may bemanufactured conveniently and at comparatively low cost, are of compactform and attractive appearance, possess-great durability, and are.capable of greatly increased efiiciency.

The'device illustrated as the preferred embodiment of my inventioncomprises a trap of cage-like form produced by electrodes of novelconfiguration and arrangement. This electrocuting cage-like trap isdesigned to be connected in a suitable manner to a source of current,usually through a conveniently located transformer, and is preferably at.tached to a support. iln the particular embodiment illustrated, thesupport-to which the electrocuting cage is attached is in the form of'ahousing for a transformer, and is adapted to be suspended in suitablelocations either indoors or outdoors.

If desired, the trap may a lure for attracting insects. The lure may bea lamp bra bait. Either or both maybe employed, and provision has beenmade therefor in the device illustrated, but the trap which constitutes'my invention is complete and operative as an electric insect trapwithbe equipped with out the introduction of insect attracting de- Ivices or lure elements therein. 7 The nature of the invention and itsvarious ob ects and advantages will be more clearly understood from thedescription and drawings, wherein I have disclosed a device embodying mynovel ideas and improvements.

In the-drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts in'the several views, 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of insectelectrocuting trap involving my invention,

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view blades 14 of one electrodebeing arranged in spaced alternatingrelation with the blades 15 of theother electrode. The blades are respectively attached at their ends toconcentrically disposed rings or hands located at the opposite ends of'the cage. in the preferred form of the device illustrated, the bladesare disposed in vertical planes and connect upper and lowerelectroderings orbands, blades 15 being attached to upper and lowerinner rings or hands '8 and 9 and blades 14 to upper and lower outerrings Sand 7. The blades of eachelectrode extend outwardly in a radialdirectionfrom their respective end rings or bands, blades 15, whichconnect the inner rings or bands 8 and 9 projecting be tween andoverlapping adjacent blades 14 of the opposite electrode. Preferably thein the same plane, blades 14 interrupting the passages between blades 15at their outer portion. The inner ring 9, connected to the lower ends ofblades 15, is set in a plane above the outer ring 7. V

, outer edges of all of the blades 14 and 15 are 9 Kill? 1 directlyabove ring 7, which forms deflecting the negative. 7

The cage-like electrodes, for convenience in handling and use, areattached to a support, which in the preferred construction is at theupper end of the electrodes. This support may take the form of acylindrical housing 1 adapted to enclose a transformer T. The top 2 ofthe housing may be conical, as illustrated, and may be provided with asuspending hook 3 of tubular construction to accommodate Wires 4, 5 fromthe source of current to the transformer and to a lamp L.

The upper pair of concentric electrode rings or bands 6 and 8 arepreferably attached by means of brackets 11 to a plate 10 of insulatingmaterial upon the bottom of the housing or support 1. Rings or bands 6and 8 are insulated from each other by insulation plate 10, andrespectively connected to the transformer T b screws ,13 and 12 whichpass through the bracketsinto the coils of the transformer towhich theyare connected by conductor wires 13', 12. The connections are such as tosupply current of opposite polarity from a suitable source (e. g., agen- 'erator G) to the electrodes. One of the electrodes, for example,electrode P, carrying blades 15, may be considered the positive and theother electrode N, carrying blades 14, as

Blades 15 have'attaching angle members 16 and 17 at their respectiveends, by means of which the blades 15 are projected outward- 1y from theinner rings 8 and ,9 to an extent suflicient to place them inoverlapping or complementary relation to blades 14. The

lower end of each blade 15, formed with the integral attaching lug orangle member 17,

may-be provided withan arcuate notch 18,

or guidingedges to prevent drops of water on the blade from drippingdown to ring 7,

' any moisture upon blades 15thus being caused to drip therefrom eitherwithin or outside of the ring.

, "trap With the arrangement of the blades of the farther apart at theirouter 7 than at then inner edges, and with blades of opposite polarityalternatin in spaced overlapping relation, a fly or ot or insect mayenter-the space between adjacent blades, but-its body or wings touchingadjoining blades will'cause its electrocution. Even .if insects were toreach the inside of the trap through its bot tom when it is suspendedwith its bottom open, as shown in F1g.:1, they would in most instancesbe electrocuted by coming into contact with the inner edges of adjoiningblades while flying about within the trap. By reason of the smoothsurfaces of blades 14 and 15. the insects electrocuted cannot cling tothe sides of the blades, but will fall between the blades and out of thetrap.

. The efiiciency of the device may be increased by the use of some-meansof attracting insects, a lamp being especially useful at night and abait in daylight. In the drawings Iv have illustrated means forsupporting both types of lure within. the cage in such manner thateither or both of them may be inserted, or the trap used without anysuch attracting means, as may be desired. A socket for an electric lampL, with suitable electrical connections, may be provided on the underside of the support or housing 1, thelamp being inclosed within the cageformed by blades 14 and 15. Thedrawing also shows a convenient means ofsupporting a bait 23 of a material suitable for attracting insects, thismeans comprising a pan 19, provided with an exterior flange 20 adaptedto rest upon a ring or band 21 hung upon electrode ring or band 7 byhooks 22. So placed, the bait cannot be. reached by insects except byentrance through the spaces between the blades of the trap.

j I claim: r i

1. The combination in an electrocuting trap with a transformer and ahousing therefor, of a trap in the form of a cage COHlpIlS- ing a pairof spaced concentric upper rings and a pair of spaced inner and outerlower rings, the smaller of the lower rings being located above thelarger ring, and radially extending, alternately arranged, positive andnegative blades connecting the pair of outer rings and the pair of innerrings.

2. The combination in an electrocuting trap with a housing having aconical top and a suspending hook and an electrical trans former in thehousing, of a pair of inner and outer rings attached at the under sideof the housing, a pair of spaced inner and outer tric upperrings, a pairofv spaced inner and outer lower rings, the inner of the lower ringsbeing located above the outer ring, and radially extending, "alternatelyarranged,

positive and negative blades connecting the pair of outer rings and thepair of inner rings. I i l 4. An electric insect trap comprising asupport, an upper pair of spaced concentric rings attached to saidsupport, a lowerpair of spaced inner and outer rings the inner one ofwhich is located above the outer one, alternately arranged and 'radiallyextending positive and negative blades connecting the upper and lowerrings 'inpairs, said blades forming a cage.

5. An electric insect trap in the form of a cage comprising a pair ofspaced concentric upper rings insulated from each other, a pair.

of spaced inner and outer lower rings the inner of which is locatedabove the outer ring, and radially extending blades connecting the pairof outer rings and relatively shorter, wider blades connecting the pairof inner rings and projecting outwardly between the spaced pair of outerrings.

6. An electric insect trap in the form of a cage comprising a pair ofspaced concentric upper rings insulated from each other, a palrof spacedinner and outer lower rings the inner of which is located above theouter ring, outwardly projecting radial blades connecting the pair'ofouter rings and relatively shorter and wider blades connecting the pairof inner rings and projecting outwardly between said pair of outerrings, said blades forming positive and negative cage-like electrodes,the blades of the respective electrodes being disposed in spaced,alternating, overlapping relation.

7. The combination in an insect electrocuting trap with a transformerand a housing therefor, of a trap in the form of a cage comprising apair of spaced inner and outer upper bands and a pair of spaced innerand outer lower bands, the inner of said lower bands being located abovethe outer, and radially extending, alternately arranged, positive andnegative blades connecting the pair of outer bands and the pair of innerbands.

8. The combination in an insect electrocuting trap with a transformerand a housing therefor, of a trap in the form of a cage com rising apair of spaced concentric upper band; and a pair of spaced inner andouter lower bands, and radially extending, alternately arranged,positive and negative blades connecte' to and projecting outwardly fromthe pair of outer bands and the pair of inner bands in spacedoverlapping relation.

9. An electric insect trap in the form of a the cage, outwardlyextending radial blades connecting the outer rings and radial bladesconnecting the inner rings extending outwardly therefrom and disposed inspaced altcrnating relation between the blades connecting the outerrings, the outer edges of the blades connecting the inner and outerrings being in substantially the same plane.

11. An electric insect trap comprisingcagelike electrodes, one withinthe other, said electrodes including spaced alternately disposed blades,the blades of each electrode extending outwardly.

12. An electric insect trap comprising cagelike electrodes, one withinthe other, each of said electrodes including outwardly extending blades,the blades of the respective electrodes being disposed in spacedalternating overlapping relation.

13. An electric insect trap. comprising a pair of cage-like electrodes,each including spaced outwardly extending outwardly diverging blades,the blades of one of said electrodes being disposed in spacedalternating arrangement between the blades of the other electrode.

14. In an'electric insect trap, the combination with a support, of atrap portion attached to said support and comprising a pair of cage-likeelectrodes located one within the other, said electrodes includingalternately spaced radial blades extending in the same radial directioninto overlapping relation.

15. An electric insect trap comprising a support and a pair of cage-likeelectrodes attached only at their upper ends to said support, saidelectrodes including vertically disposed blades arranged in spacedalternating overlapping relation.

16. An electric insect trap comprising a cage-like electrode formed oflongitudinally spaced electrode members and spaced radial bladesconnecting said members, and projecting outwardly therefrom, a secondcagelike electrode formed of longitudinally spaced electrode members andspaced radial connecting blades, projecting outwardly therefrom, one ofsaid electrodes being disposed within' and insulated from the other, theblades of the respective electrodes being arranged in spaced alternatingrelation and the blades of one electrode overlapping the blades of theother electrode.

17. An electric insect trap comprising a support, a plurality of spacedradially arranged positive electrode blades attached to said support,and a plurality of radially arranged negative electrode blades attachedto.

said support, said positive and negative blades being positioned inspaced alternating relation with thelr outer edges flush.

18. An electric insect trap comprising a support, spaced radiallyarranged electrode blades attached to and projecting outwardly beyondsaid support, and radially arranged electrode blades of oppositepolarity attached to said support inwardly of the points of.

support of the first-mentioned blades and projecting ohtwardly intoflush relation therewith, said blades being disposed in spacedalternating relation.

.19. An electric insect trap comprising a pair of spaced concentricupper rings, a pair of spaced lower rings, and vertically disposedradially extending alternately spaced blades connecting the pair ofouter rings and the pair of inner rings, each of the blades con- 5necting the inner rings having angular end portions offsetting the bladeoutwardly from the plane of the connected rings.

i 20. An electric insect trap comprising a support, concentricsubstantially cylindrical 1Q cage-like electrodes concentricallyarranged on said support, each of said electrodes including radialblades, the blades of one electrode being disposed in spaced relationbetween the blades of the other electrode. Y 5 21. An electric insecttrap comprising concentric substantially cylindrical electrodes, eachelectrode including spaced radial blades, the blades of one electrodebeing disposed in spaced alternating relation to the blades of the otherelectrode.

22. In an electric insect trap, the combination with a support,- ofsubstantially cylindrical cage-like electrodes located one within theother, each electrode being attached at one end to said support and openat its opposite end, said electrodes including alternately spacedpositive and negative inwardly converging blades.

23. In an electric insect trap, the combination with a support, ofsubstantially cylindrical cage-like electrodes located one within theother and attached to said support only at one end, said electrodesincluding alternately spaced positive and negative blades. 24. Anelectric insect trap comprising a pair of substantially cylindricalcage-like v electrodes, said electrodes including spaced 2 bladesdisposed edgewise in spaced alternating, relation. v 40 25. An electricinsect trap comprising substantially cylindrical cage-like electrodesone within the other, each electrode including spaced blades, the bladesof one electrode extending between the blades of the other electrode inspaced relation. I

I 26. An electric insect trap comprising substantially cylindricalcage-like electrodes, one Within the other, said electrodes includingspaced alternately disposed blades converging inwardly.

V WILLIAM M. FROST.

